xp, ntfs, file-in-use, setup-repai failed

[sali]

win xp, sp2, ntfs [of course]
not able to copy, i had error "file in use by other process", but there was
no other process, since it was after reboot

soon after that, win failed to start [after logo displayed, just before
log-in screen it restarts the computer, and so-on cycling], same happens in
safe mode. there is even no boot-log info in root folder!

i started win reapir from cd, which also failed on copy, with error "no
space on disk" or "no source cd in drive"

finaly, i went to repair console, logged as admin, and found that some
folders on win drive denies file copy!
for example, "driver cache" in "\windows" doesn't allow a file to be copied
into [copy command from repair console] from cd [drive h:] to hard drive.
file is copied, i see that length is ok, but remains named as $$temp$$.~~~,
so next file may not be copied. i may rename it manualy, but it is imposible
to finish huge instalation like that.
this also happens on "i386" subfoledr of "driver cache" folder, but not
happens on root "\windows", where i may copy files from cd without problems.

is there some problem with ntfs system hierarchy, to deny file copy/rename
into some folders?
is there something that easily may be done [since drive is readable, i may
perform data copy to another drive, but will prefer this drive to get
working]

any suggestion?

thnx

[Mark Adams]

Post by sali
win xp, sp2, ntfs [of course]
not able to copy, i had error "file in use by other process", but there was
no other process, since it was after reboot
soon after that, win failed to start [after logo displayed, just before
log-in screen it restarts the computer, and so-on cycling], same happens in
safe mode. there is even no boot-log info in root folder!
i started win reapir from cd, which also failed on copy, with error "no
space on disk" or "no source cd in drive"
finaly, i went to repair console, logged as admin, and found that some
folders on win drive denies file copy!
for example, "driver cache" in "\windows" doesn't allow a file to be copied
into [copy command from repair console] from cd [drive h:] to hard drive.
file is copied, i see that length is ok, but remains named as $$temp$$.~~~,
so next file may not be copied. i may rename it manualy, but it is imposible
to finish huge instalation like that.
this also happens on "i386" subfoledr of "driver cache" folder, but not
happens on root "\windows", where i may copy files from cd without problems.
is there some problem with ntfs system hierarchy, to deny file copy/rename
into some folders?
is there something that easily may be done [since drive is readable, i may
perform data copy to another drive, but will prefer this drive to get
working]
any suggestion?
thnx

If a repair install failed, and Recovery Console cannot copy to the disk,
maybe the hard drive is failing. Download the diagnostic software from the
maker of your hard drive and test it. If it passes, use a Knoppix boot disk
and see if you can view the contents of the hard drive. If the Knoppix disk
won't run, you have hardware issues.

[sali]

Post by Mark Adams

Post by sali
win xp, sp2, ntfs [of course]
not able to copy, i had error "file in use by other process", but there was
no other process, since it was after reboot
is there some problem with ntfs system hierarchy, to deny file copy/rename
into some folders?

If a repair install failed, and Recovery Console cannot copy to the disk,
maybe the hard drive is failing. Download the diagnostic software from the

thnx, i'll try. when disk is failing, or going to fail, there may be very
strange behaviour
it is interesting that file-contens is copied ok, just final file rename
fails. i don't know the exact ntfs architecture, maybe just disk block where
file name node and/or file access info is stored is damaged, who knows.
fat16/32 structure is much easier to debug, even with raw disk editor
anyway, i am going to make disk clone on another drive

[sali]

Post by Mark Adams

Post by sali
win xp, sp2, ntfs [of course]
not able to copy, i had error "file in use by other process", but there was
no other process, since it was after reboot
is there some problem with ntfs system hierarchy, to deny file copy/rename
into some folders?
is there something that easily may be done [since drive is readable, i may
perform data copy to another drive, but will prefer this drive to get
working]

If a repair install failed, and Recovery Console cannot copy to the disk,
maybe the hard drive is failing. Download the diagnostic software from the
maker of your hard drive and test it. If it passes, use a Knoppix boot disk
and see if you can view the contents of the hard drive. If the Knoppix disk
won't run, you have hardware issues.

well, i made disk clone [onto the new disk], and everything went ok, except
that the problem stay the same!
on the new disk the repair setup also may not complete the task, with the
same error, "access denied" when copying into "system32" folder

it seems that there is some damage inside ntfs system, sysinternals chkdisk
hangs on phase-2, index checking

[of course, i may perform fresh install and restore data files, but i would
like to recover my old install along with all of the installed programs]

any further suggestion?

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Post by sali

Post by Mark Adams

Post by sali
win xp, sp2, ntfs [of course]
not able to copy, i had error "file in use by other process", but there was
no other process, since it was after reboot
is there some problem with ntfs system hierarchy, to deny file copy/rename
into some folders?
is there something that easily may be done [since drive is readable, i may
perform data copy to another drive, but will prefer this drive to get
working]

If a repair install failed, and Recovery Console cannot copy to the disk,
maybe the hard drive is failing. Download the diagnostic software from the
maker of your hard drive and test it. If it passes, use a Knoppix boot disk
and see if you can view the contents of the hard drive. If the Knoppix disk
won't run, you have hardware issues.

well, i made disk clone [onto the new disk], and everything went ok,
except that the problem stay the same!
on the new disk the repair setup also may not complete the task, with the
same error, "access denied" when copying into "system32" folder
it seems that there is some damage inside ntfs system, sysinternals
chkdisk hangs on phase-2, index checking
[of course, i may perform fresh install and restore data files, but i
would like to recover my old install along with all of the installed
programs]
any further suggestion?

How did you clone your disk? Depending on the method you used, you would or
would not copy the file system damage to the new disk.

[sali]

Post by Pegasus [MVP]

Post by sali

Post by sali
win xp, sp2, ntfs [of course]
not able to copy, i had error "file in use by other process", but there was
no other process, since it was after reboot

well, i made disk clone [onto the new disk], and everything went ok,
except that the problem stay the same!
on the new disk the repair setup also may not complete the task, with the
same error, "access denied" when copying into "system32" folder
it seems that there is some damage inside ntfs system, sysinternals
chkdisk hangs on phase-2, index checking

How did you clone your disk? Depending on the method you used, you would
or would not copy the file system damage to the new disk.

it was with disk cloning software [acronis], at the first step i wanted to
check is the malfunction result of permanent hw/disk error or ntfs system
files corrupted. since on exact image copy on new disk the error stays, it
looks like ntfs table damage.
i have refreshed my ntfs knowledge, it seems like file attributes, file long
and short names, directory pointers, all reside on seaprate ntfs sys files,
so it is possible that one of them is out of sync. although ntfs states that
sys $xxx files are under transactional protection, something went wrong.

chkdisk only reports that something is wrong. after thre lines "preparing
for check" it starts counting percents, hangs on 25% and after long time it
reports "problem". no help with /r switch also
from the other side, the xxcopy utility from one of disk repairing tools is
not able to copy long names, although the normal copy comand does

maybe to find some good ntfs analysing tool to tell me how serious the
damage is, is it worth to try repairing?

thnxc

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Post by sali

Post by Pegasus [MVP]

Post by sali

Post by sali
win xp, sp2, ntfs [of course]
not able to copy, i had error "file in use by other process", but there was
no other process, since it was after reboot

well, i made disk clone [onto the new disk], and everything went ok,
except that the problem stay the same!
on the new disk the repair setup also may not complete the task, with
the same error, "access denied" when copying into "system32" folder
it seems that there is some damage inside ntfs system, sysinternals
chkdisk hangs on phase-2, index checking

How did you clone your disk? Depending on the method you used, you would
or would not copy the file system damage to the new disk.

it was with disk cloning software [acronis], at the first step i wanted to
check is the malfunction result of permanent hw/disk error or ntfs system
files corrupted. since on exact image copy on new disk the error stays, it
looks like ntfs table damage.
i have refreshed my ntfs knowledge, it seems like file attributes, file
long and short names, directory pointers, all reside on seaprate ntfs sys
files, so it is possible that one of them is out of sync. although ntfs
states that sys $xxx files are under transactional protection, something
went wrong.
chkdisk only reports that something is wrong. after thre lines "preparing
for check" it starts counting percents, hangs on 25% and after long time
it reports "problem". no help with /r switch also
from the other side, the xxcopy utility from one of disk repairing tools
is not able to copy long names, although the normal copy comand does
maybe to find some good ntfs analysing tool to tell me how serious the
damage is, is it worth to try repairing?
thnxc

Instead of using a cloning tool (which will create an exact copy of the
original, warts and all) you could create a copy of your disk as below. This
works well in cases where all files and folders are readable.
1. Connect the new disk as a slave disk to your PC.
2. Partition and format it.
3. Mark the primary partition as "active".
4. Boot the machine with a Bart PE boot CD.
5. Run this command from a Command Prompt:
robocopy /R:1 /W:1 S:\ T:\ *.*
(where S: is the drive letter of your old disk and T: is the new disk)
6. Disconnect the old disk.
7. Connect the new disk and boot up the machine.

Please note:
- In Step 2, use NTFS partition(s). If this causes the problem to persist,
repeat the process with FAT32 partitions. If so then you can convert the
partitions later on to NTFS.
- In Step 4 you can use any means that give you an environment in which the
old Windows installation is inactive. You could, for example, put the old
and the new disk into USB cases, connect them to some other Windows machine
and perform the copy process. Remember to use a copy command that includes
hidden and system files.